We take pride in the quality of our courses, which are offered with great attention to the art and the science of pastry. The classes focus on artistry, visual presentation, theory, method, and technique, giving you the knowledge required for a successful pastry career.

News and Events

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Pastries are always best experienced hands-on and we hope you can join us soon; in the meantime, we hope you’re inspired by what you see here. There are many ways to keep up with what's happening at The French Pastry School: read our articles, interviews, and blog entries; follow us online through various social networks or join us in person for an upcoming event. See what our friends are saying on our website, or read news about us in various other media.

The French Pastry School’s Scholarship Foundation throws its annual gala at the Merchandise Mart, 7pm – 11pm, with celebrity chef tastings, desserts, chocolate in every imaginable form, drinks, and live entertainments. Proceeds benefit future scholarships for students in the full-time programs at The French Pastry School. For more information and to purchase tickets, see www.fortheloveofchocolatefoundation.org.

Our February issue, Sugar, examines the ways that sweetness adds nuance to our eating and drinking, from cocktails to short ribs to, of course, dessert. And to kick things off, we've taken inspiration from pastry chefs, those beloved meal-ending masters. Click through the photo-essay below for our picks for Best Pastry Chefs 2012, along with their most delicious recipes.

Eighty-eight students began their educational journey at The French Pastry School on Monday as they began either L'Art de la Pâtisserie or L'Art du Gâteau. The students will study the art of pastry or cake hands-on for 24 weeks or 16 weeks, respectively and will go on to join their fellow alumni to open businesses and lead kitchens around the world. Welcome class of January 2013!

Students begin a new 24-week session of L’Art de la Pâtisserie, The Professional Pastry and Baking Program and the new 16-week session of L’Art du Gâteau, The Professional Cake Baking and Decorating Program.

Graduates of L'Art de la Pâtisserie and L'Art du Gâteau celebrate the completion of their programs with friends and family at The Union League Club of Chicago followed by a reception at The French Pastry School.

For the last few years, bakeries offering gluten-free goods included Bleeding Heart Bakery in the city and Rose's Wheatfree in Evanston. Now, there's another option right across the street from the Edison Park train stop where fans of baked goods with or without gluten can enjoy the sweet holiday season. How sweet is it to be next to the train station in Edison Park? If you rely on commuter business, then Le Flour Bake Shop is ground zero for lovers of all things butter, sugar and flour -- especially this time of year, in the weeks between Thanksgiving and Christmas..

Chicago native Sarah Levy developed a passion for all things sweet at an early age. Sarah started her company, Sarah's Pastries & Candies, in March 2004 by making chocolate candies out of her mom's kitchen. After a year she had built up a wholesale business that included Whole Foods Markets in the Midwest, and smaller gourmet grocery shops such as Olivia's Market, Southport Grocery and East Bank Club. Read more and watch the video.

For 23 of her first 26 years, Maggie LaBaugh’s life had a singular purpose: mastering her technique as a ballerina. Awards and accolades came easily as she ascended the world of professional dance, but to her they seemed superfluous. What drove LaBaugh into the studio every day was the opportunity to have a shot at perfection. Each hour, each fragment of choreography, was a chance to create something beautiful and pristine. She labored relentlessly on tiny details, repeating a movement over and over for days until it was exactly right.